Peter Scolari, making audiences roar with just a handful of lines in Broadway's Sly Fox, will trade comedy for musical comedy starting Aug. 3, when he joins Hairspray at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Peter Scolari

Scolari will take over for Hairspray Tony Award winner Dick Latessa, who originated the role of devoted father and husband Wilbur Turnblad, purveyor of novelty items. Wilbur is married to girthy Edna Turnblad (played by Michael McKean).

Latessa, who won a 2003 Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Hairspray, exits the show Aug. 1, having danced with both McKean and Tony-winner Harvey Fierstein in the show.

Scolari sheds Sly Fox Aug. 1. No replacement has been announced. The Arthur Penn-helmed staging has been enjoying crowded houses at the Barrymore Theatre. In the revival of the Larry Gelbart comedy, Scolari plays the lascivious Chief of Police. In Bronson Pinchot's absence, including performances June 24-30, Scolari has taken over the role of Lawyer Craven (with Gordon Joseph Weiss playing The Chief of Police).

In Sly Fox, the impish Scolari is embraced by the audience for a brief — and shocking turn — in Act Two.

In fall 2003, Scolari stepped into Hairspray during a leave by Latessa.

Scolari is a four-time Emmy Award nominee for "Newhart," and first came to national attention in a drag role on TV's "Bosom Buddies" opposite Tom Hanks. He starred as Mercury in the Encores! revival of Cole Porter's Out of This World and is heard on the concert cast recording.